The NBA is full of talent, personality and suspense. During the doldrums of the offseason, It’s easy to forget how wonderful the league can be. So, I’ve assembled 67 Reasons I’m Excited For Next Season (67RIEFNS). They’ll be presented in no particular order over the coming weeks.

Tom Thibodeau has a reputation for running his top players into the ground with high minutes, and it’s not totally deserved.

It’s just mostly deserved.

Since Thibodeau began coaching Chicago four years ago, the Bulls have four of the top 11 minute-per-game seasons.* No other team had more than one.

Aside from Derrick Rose, whose injury history DEMANDS careful minute management, Chicago’s top talent is concentrated at power forward and center. With Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic, the Bulls are absolutely loaded at the 4/5.

There are only 96 minutes per game to go around at those positions, though. Based on last year’s minutes per game Noah (35.3), Gasol (31.4) and Gibson (28.7) nearly fill that, totaling 95.4.

I suppose Thibodeau could get imaginative/foolish and play all three together. But there’s a much bigger chance he could use Mike Dunleavy and/or Doug McDermott a bit as stretch fours, And there’s a much, much bigger chance Mirotic deserves regular playing time.

I believe coaches are predisposed to play their best players as much as possible. Thibodeau just acts on that inclination more than most. Will that continue now that he has so many options at one position? Will depth give Thibodeau the strength to counter his instinct to identify top players and use them extensively?

the Wizards have shown little appetite for dealing Otto Porter anywhere for a return heavy on future assets and cap flexibility, sources say

John Wall‘s massive contract looked barely movable even before he underwent season-ending surgery. Washington seems unwilling to take a step back by trading star Bradley Beal.

So, that leaves unloading Porter – who’s earning $26,011,913 this year and due $55,739,815 over the next two seasons – as the obvious way to create cap flexibility and accumulate future assets. If the Wizards are unwilling to do that, it speaks volumes to their plan.

They don’t want to rebuild. They want to win now. Porter can help them do that.

In many ways, it’s noble Washington is so committed to winning, even at great expense. That’s generally what we want from teams. We don’t want them to give up or cut costs just because they’re a couple games out of playoff position midway through the season.

But the Wizards’ spending has been… uneven. Leonsis greenlit a payroll well into the luxury tax and is apparently willing to keep Porter, which likely keeps that payroll high. Yet, Washington is also holding as many roster spots vacant as allowed, offering small savings rather than adding depth amid multiple injuries.

Maybe the Wizards just don’t believe they could sign minimum-salary players who’d actually help. But insurance never hurts on the court.

So, Washington is left looking content holding its few major contracts, nickeling-and-diming down the roster, winning a barely moderate amount and not gaining better position for the future. I’m unconvinced that’s a worthy vision, but if that’s what the Wizards want, keeping Porter helps stay that course.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for aggressively pursuing an opponent in an attempt to escalate a physical altercation and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, which took place after Smart was assessed his second technical foul and was ejected, occurred with 7:35 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 113-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 19

Smart was seemingly near the line between this fine and a suspension. He’s fortunate to land on the side he did.